The world is mourning the loss of legendary actor Gene Hackman, who was found dead in his Santa Fe home this past Wednesday. Alongside him were his wife, Betsy Arakawa, and their dog — both also tragically deceased.

Hackman, 95, had lived a long and fruitful life, but the untimely passing of his younger wife, Betsy, who was only 63, has raised many questions

It’s a deeply sad moment, and now, Gene’s daughter has opened up about what she believes might have caused the tragic deaths.

Did a welfare check
In an interview with TMZ, Elizabeth Jean Hackman shared that the family isn’t entirely sure what led to the deaths, but they suspect carbon monoxide poisoning could be to blame. “The house is fairly modern, built in 2000,” Elizabeth explained, “but we don’t know if there were any issues with gas leaks or if there were any recent service calls to the property.”
Authorities responded quickly after a neighbor raised concerns, performing a welfare check on the property. Deputies found the bodies and were joined by gas company and fire department personnel, who helped ensure there were no lingering toxic fumes that could endanger anyone else.